Big Food bets on probiotic ice-cream

The unstoppable fragmentation of markets and consumer preferences has proven fertile ground for innovative start-ups and niche brands, all the while pushing companies banking on standard products to think harder.

In the case of Big Food, a tested strategy for dealing with fragmentation has been to invest in a portfolio of brands, finely-tuned to diverse consumer needs.

And that is exactly what Unilever has done with the US-launch of a premium probiotic ice-cream.

The Culture Republick brand delivers three billion live active cultures per 570ml of ice-cream from the patented strain GanedenBC30, as well as 16-18 grams of protein, 11-12 grams of fibre, and no artificial sweeteners. It is currently available at select retailers for an average retail price of $3.99-$4.99 (€3.50-€4.40).

Beyond the live probiotic cultures in the ice-cream, Culture Republick is on a mission to foster culture of an artistic nature as well. The new brad is collaborating with emerging artists to design the packaging, giving them a platform to showcase their work.

The probiotic ice-cream range comes in seven different flavours, each with special packaging created by a different artist:

Milk & Honey

Turmeric Chai & Cinnamon

Cold Brew & Chocolate Chi

Pistachio & Caramel

Lemon & Graham

Chocolate & Cherry

Matcha & Fudge

Unilever additionally bolstered its “social” credentials by pledging to donate 10% of Culture Republick’s profits to support the arts in local communities.

Leslie Miller, marketing director of Ice Cream at Unilever, emphasised the company’s commitment to culture: “Culture Republick was created with a distinct purpose in mind. We believe that humanity could use a bit more brightness. By combining our passions for culture and ice cream, we intent to do our part in making people feel more balanced, inspired and connected.”